Relationships between aggression, sensation seeking, brain stiffness, and head impact exposure: Implications for head impact prevention in ice hockey.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the relationship between the number of head impacts sustained in a season of men's collegiate club ice hockey and behavioral traits of aggression and sensation seeking, and (2) explore the neural correlates of these behaviors using neuroimaging.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: Participants (n = 18) completed baseline surveys to quantify self-reported aggression and sensation-seeking tendencies.

Altered brain functional connectivity in the frontoparietal network following an ice hockey season.

Sustaining sports-related head impacts has been reported to result in neurological changes that potentially lead to later-life neurological disease. Advanced neuroimaging techniques have been used to detect subtle neurological effects resulting from head impacts, even after a single competitive season. The current study used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess changes in functional connectivity of the frontoparietal network, a brain network responsible for executive functioning, in collegiate club ice hockey players over one season.

Effectiveness of a Computerized Cognitive Training Program for Reducing Head Impact Kinematics in Youth Ice Hockey Players.

Cognitive training (CT) is an effective technique to improve neurological performance, but has not been investigated as a head impact primary prevention strategy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the CT's effectiveness in reducing head impact kinematics in youth ice hockey players. Twenty youth were divided into two groups: a CT and Control group.

Dual-Task Tandem Gait and Average Walking Speed in Healthy Collegiate Athletes.

Objectives: To (1) examine the association between a commonly used concussion test, tandem gait, in single/dual-task conditions with single-task and dual-task average walking speed, (2) characterize the prevalence of tandem gait false positives, and (3) develop a normative reference range of dual-task tandem gait times.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Two NCAA collegiate athletic facilities.

Efficacy of Tandem Gait to Identify Impaired Postural Control after Concussion.

Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate tandem gait (TG), Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), and modified Balance Error Scoring System (mBESS) performance acutely after concussion in collegiate student-athletes. In addition, we sought to evaluate the psychometric properties of TG, including minimal detectable change (MDC), sensitivity, and specificity.

Methods: Seventy-six National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athletes performed TG and BESS tests: 38 acutely after concussion and 38 controls.

Concussion Management Plan Compliance: A Study of NCAA Power 5 Conference Schools.

Background: In response to concerns over concussions and repeated head impacts that occur during sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) mandated that all member institutions enact a concussion management plan (CMP). Although institutional and health care provider self-reports have been investigated, compliance with NCAA protocol recommendations has not been examined.

Purpose: To examine the CMPs from the 65 institutions within the NCAA Power 5 conferences for compliance with the NCAA 2015 concussion guidelines.

Normative Tandem Gait in Collegiate Student-Athletes: Implications for Clinical Concussion Assessment.

Background: Impaired balance is common after concussion. The third edition of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT-3) recommends the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) and/or tandem gait for postconcussion balance assessment. The limitations of the BESS are well documented; however, tandem gait has received little attention throughout concussion literature.